Changeable hair doll

ABSTRACT

In a doll or the like, improved structure is provided for changing the appearance of the doll by changing the color and/or style of her hair. Two sections of simulated hair of differing characteristics are secured to opposite sides of a rotatably mounted hemispherical head portion extending generally from the forehead area to the lower crown area of the head. The hemispherical head portion is rotatably mounted on a stationary head portion such that rotation of the hemispherical head portion can move either one of the different sections of hair to the top of the doll&#39;&#39;s head and, when in such position, camouflaging the other section therebeneath. In the preferred embodiment, the two sections are of different colors.

United States Patent [191 Dunn [ Sept. 9, 1975 [73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Nov. 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 413,669

[52] US. Cl 46/135 R; 46/153; 46/164;

46/172 [51] Int. C1. A63H 3/44; A6311 3/12 [58] Field of Search 46/172, 153, 135 R, 164

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,090,198 3/1914 Butler 46/172 1,138,412 5/19l5 Radick 46/153 1,329,509 2/1920 Dane et a1. 46/172 X 1,413,263 4/1922 Dallwig 46/172 X 1,586,247 5/1926 Kollin 46/153 1,762,374 6/1930 Yancey..... 46/135 R 2,708,809 5/1955 Peterson 46/135 R 2,789,567 4/1957 .lacoby 132/53 3,156,999 11/1964 Dean et a1. 46/172 3,448,540 6/1969 Ryan et a1 46/164 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2,131 4/1913 United Kingdom 46/172 126,409 12/1901 Germany 46/164 809,054 2/1959 United Kingdom 46/172 Primary ExaminerF. Barry Shay Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Coffee & Sweeney [57] ABSTRACT In a doll or the like, improved structure is provided for changing the appearance of the doll by changing the color and/or style of her hair. Two sections of simulated hair of differing characteristics are secured to opposite sides of a rotatably mounted hemispherical head portion extending generally from the forehead area to the lower crown area of the head. The hemispherical head portion is rotatably mounted on a stationary head portion such that rotation of the hemispherical head portion can move either one of the different sections of hair to the top of the dolls head and, when in such position, camouflaging-the other section therebeneath. In the preferred embodiment, the two sections are of different colors.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures CHANGEABLE HAIR DOLL BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF' THE INVENTION This invention relates to the toy'art and more particularly to an improved structure in a doll for changing the appearance of the doll, specifically the dolls hair.

I-Ieretofore, where means are provided for changing the hair color and/or hair style of a doll, the method normally employed is that of using wigs or entire skull cap portions which can be totally removed from the head of the doll and replaced by another wig or tuft of different hair color and/or style. Other dolls are of the type which allow the user to remove certain sections or tufts of hair from the dolls head and replace it with other selections. The disadvantage with the prior art dolls is that to change the hair color or hair style, wigs or sections of hair have to be removed from the doll and replaced with others which are provided with a doll kit or the like. Children in their often overzealous activities would accidentally misplace or lose sections or wigs when not in use and therefore limit the actual versatility of the doll.

The present invention provides the usual doll body construction which includes a torso with legs and arms mounted on the torso, and a head mounted on the torso. Of course, the invention is intended for use on a bust only. The head includes an upper rotatably mounted semispherical portion extending obliquely generally from the forehead area to the lower crown area of the head and has a plurality of sections of simulated hair of different characteristics. By rotating the upper head portion, the section of hair of one characteristic is removed from view while the second section of hair of a different characteristic is brought into view. Thus, the hair color and/or hair style on the doll may be changed simply by rotating the upper head portion.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved construction for a doll, or the like, whereby the dolls hair color and/or style may be easily changed without resorting to removable sections or totally removable wigs.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bust of a doll or the like embodying the concepts of the present invention with one hair section disposed at the top of the dolls head;

FIg. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 with a different hair section disposed at the top of the dolls head;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the doll of FIG. 2, shown in an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 5 is a somewhat schematic top plan view of the semispherical rotatable head portion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bust ofa doll, generally designated 10, embodying the changeable hair means of the present invention, is shown in two differ- 'ent modes. 'FIG. 1 shows adoll with a dark hair color (e.g., brunette) and FIG. 2 shows a doll with a light hair color (e.g., blonde). The doll bust 10 generally includes a stationary head portion '12, of molded plastic or other suitable material, which is mounted by means of a neck portion 14 to a torso 16. The head portion includes the normal facial features such as eyes 20, a nose 22 and a 'mouth 24.Of course, a complete doll with arms and I legs could be employed.

The head portion also includes a movable upper semispherical portion 26 which is rotatably mounted to the non-movable portion 12 by means of a shaft 28. The rotatable head portion 26 is semispherical in shape and includes a disc portion 30 to which the shaft 28 is secured or integrally formed. A similar disc portion is provided on the non-movable head portion 12 and has an opening 34 within which the shaft 28 is snap fit. A lip 36 is provided on the end of the shaft 28 to hold the head portions 12 and 26 together.

The disc 32 on the non-movable head portion 12 is provided with two recesses 38 spaced apart which engage with a detent 40 on the disc 30 of the upper head portion 26 to maintain a desired angular orientation of the upper movable head portion 26 with the lower head portion 12.

The aforementioned parts are formed so that the movable head portion 26 is disposed generally obliquely from the forehead area to the lower crown area of the dolls head.

The upper head portion 26 is provided with a plurality of strands of simulated hair which are divided into two sections of light hair 42 and dark hair 44 as best seen in FIG. 5. The dark hair is a hair style which includes bangs and the light hair style is a simple part down the center of the head 12. Of course, any other hair styles are contemplated within the invention. When the upper head portion 26 is in the position as shown in FIG. 3, the appearance of the doll is that of FIG. 1 where the dark hair 44 is seen and it covers the light hair 42. When the upper head portion 26 is rotated 180 the doll 10 appears as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 with the light hair 42 covering the dark hair 44.

Thus, the user of the doll 10 can easily change the hair color and/or hair style of the doll simply by rotating the head portion 26 relative to the stationary head portion 12. Of course, the hair possibly could be all the same color with plural sections of different styling brought into prominence at a selected position on the dolls head.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. For use with dolls or the like, means for changing the appearance of the dolls hair, comprising:

a head including at least one portion thereof movable relative toanother portion, one of said head portions being nonmovably mounted on a torso portion of the doll, and the other of said head portions being rotatably mounted on the nonmovable portion and having a generally convex outer contour complementary to said one portion in plural positions relative thereto; and plurality of sections of simulated hair of different characteristics on said rotatably mounted head portion for movement therewith to bring the different sections selectively into position to change the appearance of the dollwith part of said hair being generally hidden from view when a particular sec- 1 tion of hair of desired characteristic is positioned for viewing. I

2. The means of claim 1 wherein the different characteristics of the simulated hair sections comprise different coloration of the simulated hair of the different sections.

3. The means of claim 1 wherein the convex head portion is obliquely mounted on the non-movable head portion with respect to the vertical axis of said torso portion.

4. The means of claim 3 wherein the movable and non-movable head portions are relatively rotatably mounted by means of a circular disc on each of said head portions extending generally from the top of the forehead area of the head and extending to the base of the crown of the head, the movable portion being rotatably mounted to the non-movable portion by interlocking by shaft means therebetween.

5. The means of claim 3 wherein said convex head portion extends generally from the top of the forehead area of the head and extending to the base of the crown of the head.

6. The means of claim 4 including detent means to prevent inadvertent relative rotation of the said respective head portions, said detent means comprising a pair of raised dimples on said rotatable disc associated with said convex head portion interlocking with a pair of detents on said disc associated with said non-movable head portion. 

1. For use with dolls or the like, means for changing the appearance of the doll''s hair, comprising: a head including at least one portion thereof movable relative to another portion, one of said head portions being nonmovably mounted on a torso portion of the doll, and the other of said head portions being rotatably mounted on the nonmovable portion and having a generally convex outer contour complementary to said one portion in plural positions relative thereto; and a plurality of sections of simulated hair of different characteristics on said rotatably mounted head portion for movement thereWith to bring the different sections selectively into position to change the appearance of the doll with part of said hair being generally hidden from view when a particular section of hair of desired characteristic is positioned for viewing.
 2. The means of claim 1 wherein the different characteristics of the simulated hair sections comprise different coloration of the simulated hair of the different sections.
 3. The means of claim 1 wherein the convex head portion is obliquely mounted on the non-movable head portion with respect to the vertical axis of said torso portion.
 4. The means of claim 3 wherein the movable and non-movable head portions are relatively rotatably mounted by means of a circular disc on each of said head portions extending generally from the top of the forehead area of the head and extending to the base of the crown of the head, the movable portion being rotatably mounted to the non-movable portion by interlocking by shaft means therebetween.
 5. The means of claim 3 wherein said convex head portion extends generally from the top of the forehead area of the head and extending to the base of the crown of the head.
 6. The means of claim 4 including detent means to prevent inadvertent relative rotation of the said respective head portions, said detent means comprising a pair of raised dimples on said rotatable disc associated with said convex head portion interlocking with a pair of detents on said disc associated with said non-movable head portion. 